Former New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum has come up with a suggestion that this year’s T20 World Cup to be postponed to early next year, saying the currently-suspended edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) should take the mega-event’s slot. The COVID-19 pandemic has halted all global sporting activities and there have certain clouds of uncertainly looming over the T20 World Cup, scheduled in Australia from October 18-November 15, and also “indefinitely” suspending IPL 2020.
During ‘Sky Cirkcet Podcast’, McCullum said, “I think the IPL will try and target that October window and the T20 World Cup will get pushed back.”
KKR head coach feels that he neither sees the T20 World Cup happening without the stadium fans nor does he believe that teams from 16 nations will be able to travel to Australia in the wake of the pandemic, which has infected more than 25 lakh people globally. If IPL doesn’t happen, it will be a huge monetary loss for the players and the support staff.
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The ICC’s Chief Executives Committee (CEC) is set to meet on Thursday where there will be discussing the financial implications of COVID-19 and also the contingency planning for all ICC global events, including the T20 World Cup, over a conference call.
Talking about the same, Brendon said, “For Australia to move 16 international teams plus all of their support staff and then broadcasters, seems a bridge too far. There may be a window a bit later in the new year of 2021 which could then open up a window for the IPL (in October and November).”
He further added, “You’d have to move some overseas players for the IPL but with the broadcasters based in India, it is a lot easier to pull it all together. The ICC and world cricket need crowds to operate but India can probably sustain things commercially behind closed doors because they are going to get so many eyeballs.”
Former New Zealand seamer Simon Doull, who joined McCullum and Ian Smith on the podcast, also believes spectators will be important to get the revenues flowing from the T20 World Cup. Doull also said ICC needs to decide how important is the T20 World Cup.
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Simon explained, “How important is the T20 World Cup? That the first question from an ICC point of view. Is it important enough to have private jets out of each county with cricket teams on them, two weeks in quarantine in Australia and then the tournament taking place, whether there are fans in the stands or not? Is it that important?”.
